Afghanistan vs Ireland Live ஸ்கோர், 4th ODI of Afghanistan tour of Ireland, 2026

One more to go - That brings us to the end of this contest, with Afghanistan taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. They will now be eyeing a clean sweep in the final game, while Ireland will be playing for pride and looking to give their fans something to cheer about. The fifth ODI will be played right here in Belfast on Saturday, August 15, starting at 9.45 am GMT. As always, you can join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

The victorious skipper of Afghanistan - On Afghanistan posting their highest-ever ODI total, Rahmat Shah credits Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran for reading the conditions early and playing beautifully. He mentions the team had walked in with a target of crossing 300 or more, and he's pleased they managed to get there in the end. About batting down at number 8, Shah explains that while he usually comes in higher up the order, the move down was based on what the team needed on the day. The plan, he says, was simply to keep the momentum flowing right through to the end, which is why his own number came in lower than usual. About the second-wicket stand, he reiterates that Atal and Zadran read the conditions superbly, never forcing anything, just playing their natural games, waiting patiently for the loose deliveries and steadily building their partnership from there. When he asked about Ireland's fightback to 301 despite losing early wickets, Shah points to Balbirnie's fine innings and his partnership with Curtis Campher as the turning point. He notes that Afghanistan had picked up early wickets in the middle overs, which temporarily disrupted Ireland's momentum, but from there Ireland kept pushing the rate up to around 10 to 11 an over. He underlines that sustaining that kind of scoring on this pitch is difficult, especially without wickets in hand, which made the closing stages tougher for his side to manage.

The captain of Ireland - Paul Stirling gives full credit to Afghanistan, admitting that the second-wicket partnership in the first innings had taken the game away from Ireland. He felt Afghanistan had the opportunity to bat them out of the game and effectively did that. Stirling also points to the positives, noting that Afghanistan were 270-280 for one before they clawed their way back strongly after taking two wickets. He feels they showed at the backend of their innings how quickly runs could be scored, but ultimately fell short. He admits it is frustrating that they have performed well in patches across all three games without putting together a complete performance. On chasing a big total, Stirling says it was about adapting to the situation, whether the target was 200 or 350. He explains that he generally liked taking the positive option and putting pressure on the bowlers, but felt the wicket had offered something to the bowlers and was not as flat as a typical 350-chase surface. He therefore felt he had to take some risks, and while that approach had started to work, he got out at a crucial stage.

Presentation Time...

Not clinical, but got the job done - Afghanistan would have wanted a more clinical effort with the ball, while their fielding also left plenty to be desired, perhaps a touch complacent with such a healthy total on the board. Rashid Khan once again led the way with 3/49, with Azmatullah Omarzai adding two, while AM Ghazanfar chipped in with one. But it was Yamin Ahmadzai who stole the show, producing an excellent four-wicket haul to wrap up Ireland's innings.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Sediqullah Atal wins the award for his outstanding knock of 143 off 120 balls. On being asked whether he dreamt of scoring a century on his birthday, to which, Atal says he is simply happy with the way he performed, and feels delighted that Afghanistan have gone on to win the series. He mentions he had a feeling he would make a strong start across these two games, and says it happened on this particularly special day for him. He adds that it is a moment he will carry with him for a long, long time, a lifetime even, and admits he is thoroughly pleased with how things unfolded. On his partnership with Ibrahim Zadran, Atal shares that the two spoke through their approach together out in the middle. He notes that everyone knows the experience Zadran carries, having played plenty of cricket over the years, and that Zadran advised him the ball would seam and swing around quite a bit. The message from him (Ibrahim), he says, was simple - to stay positive, stay in the present, and not get caught up thinking about the previous ball or the next one. He credits that mindset for helping him enormously through the innings. When he is asked about Afghanistan's recent run of success in ODIs, Atal points to the hard work put in over the last couple of years, stemming from a strong 2023 World Cup campaign. He observes that expectations from fans and the team management alike have grown considerably since then, and the squad has been working to match those expectations, putting in the effort required to beat the bigger teams on the bigger stages. He finishes by saying the focus now is on staying sharper than before and continuing to grow more professional as a unit.

Record total for Afghanistan - Earlier in the game, Afghanistan smashed their way to their highest ODI total, with twin tons from Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran taking centre stage. They stitched up a massive 231-run partnership, looking simply imperious as they toyed with the hosts. Atal top-scored with a stunning 143, but the lower order could not provide the desired finish, losing six wickets for just 33 runs. Ireland struggled for answers for much of the innings, though they did stage a mini fightback at the death. By then, however, the damage was already done, with Byron McDonough claiming a three-fer, while Mark Adair and Gavin Hoey picked up a couple each, and Liam McCarthy chipped in with one.

Ireland fight not enough - Ireland needed a flying start but Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie opted for caution, reaching 47/0 in the first Powerplay before two quick wickets left them at 53/2. Balbirnie then dug in, adding 76 with Harry Tector and 73 with Curtis Campher, but Ireland were always playing catch-up with the asking rate. He brought up a superb hundred, shifting through the gears, only to fall soon after and trigger a mini-collapse. Campher refused to give up, launching a counter-attack with a brilliant 84 off 46, but with little support at the other end, Ireland’s chase eventually slipped beyond their reach.

Blue rules Green - Afghanistan have made it a hat-trick of wins in the series, sealing it in emphatic fashion. Ireland deserve credit for fighting despite being set such a daunting chase, but it has been that kind of series for the hosts - they have shown glimpses, yet in the last two games, the Afghans have consistently had that extra edge when it mattered most.

OUT! CAUGHT SPECTACULARLY! Sediqullah Atal snaps a stunning catch to cap off his birthday in style. AFGHANISTAN WIN BY 42 RUNS! And with that, they win the 5-match ODI series, leading by 3-0. Full and angling into the batter around off. McDonough goes right back in his crease, clearing that front leg out of the way, and swings hard trying to muscle it away into the leg side. The elevation just isn't there though. Deep mid-wicket springs into action, as Sediqullah Atal times his leap to perfection and clutches the catch, somehow staying balletically balanced with both feet inside the rope. The third umpire is called upon for a closer look, though there isn't much in the way of angles to work with. One replay is enough to confirm that Atal's feet stayed well clear of the ropes throughout. A day to remember for Ahmadzai too, who rounds it off with a stunning four-wicket haul.

300 UP FOR IRELAND! On the fuller length, and around off. McDonough clears the front leg away and whips it to the widish deep square leg region for a couple of runs. Both sides have piled on the runs here, on a surface that's been an absolute belter to bat on all day.

Too full and outside off, Liam carves it to extra cover for a quick single. The fielder has a shy at the bowling end, but misses.

FOUR! Gets it away! Back of a length, just outside off. McCarthy opens up his stance pulls it away to the right of the deep square leg fielder for a boundary. 46 needed off 15 balls.

Fullish and angling into the batter, this is flicked off the pads to deep mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Too wide outside off, Byron lets it be.

Byron McDonough is the last man in.

OUT! STRAIGHT UP AND CAUGHT! That should be the game for Afghanistan. But full credit to Campher, who conjured a fightback out of thin air, dragging this contest back from the dead when nobody gave it a chance. Full and wide outside off, deliberately kept away from the hitting arc. Campher goes down low and throws everything into it, with no option left but to keep swinging for the fences. But his bottom hand comes off the bat at the crucial moment, and the mistimed shot balloons up towards extra cover, where Rahmat settles under it for an easy catch. Ireland are 292 for 9, needing 52 more runs.

Yamin Ahmadzai comes back into the attack.

Back of a length, on top of off, Liam McCarthy hops off and tucks it to mid-wicket. 52 runs needed from 18 balls.

Full and wide, this is squeezed out to extra cover for a single.

FOUR! Goodness me! That's a schoolboy error in the deep! Full and outside off, Curtis Campher gets on the front foot and slaps it through cover-point. Yamin Ahmadzai moves to his left but does not bend low enough as the ball seeps through his legs for a boundary. Rahmat Shah will not be pleased with that sloppy effort one bit.

Around off, on a good length, Liam McCarthy slices it through backward point for a single. Campher is on strike now with 57 needed from 21 balls.

It has started to look a lot gloomier here now.

WIDE! Way too short from around the stumps again, angled down the leg stump. Liam again swings to pull but misses out to connect. And this time, it is called a wide for height.

Swing and a miss! Bangs in a short ball, angled down leg, at shoulder height. Liam McCarthy stays put and looks to hook it over square leg, but the ball flies over the bat and Rahmanullah Gurbaz gathers it safely behind the stumps. He appeals but it is toned down as soon as the umpire shakes his head.

Wide full toss, Curtis Campher swings hard at it and slices it over point, and it goes on the bounce to the sweeper for a single.

Ziaur Rahman is back on.

A big appeal for LBW, but turned down! Omarzai comes from aound the wicket now. Bowls it fuller and outside off, McCarthy walks across his stumps and tries to defend but misses it completely. The ball raps him on the front pad. The impact looked to be outside off here.

Far outside off, on a length, looks to be the slower one from Omarzai. Curtis throws his bat and slaps it through point for a single.

FOUR! Pumped into the vacant area! He is playing a blinder here in Stormont! Tails in on a fuller length, Curtis Campher picks the length early and whips it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary. 60 runs needed from 26 balls.